Norway’s left-wing opposition wins landslide election climate change news

The Labour Party is expected to form alliances with other left-leaning parties to seek to reduce inequality and free the economy from oil.

After a campaign led by the future of the country’s oil industry, the Norwegian left-wing opposition led by Labor Party leader Jonas Gahr Store won an overwhelming victory in the general election.

On Monday, Stoke overthrew the center-right coalition led by Conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg, which has been in power since 2013.

“We wait, we hope, we have been working hard, and now we can finally say: We did it!” Stowe, who may become the next prime minister, said to cheering supporters after Solberg admitted his failure.

The Election Bureau predicts that with a vote count of 97.5%, the majority of the Labour Party and the other four center-left parties may increase from the current 81 to 100.

At least 85 seats are required to win a majority in the 169-seat parliament.

“Norway has sent a clear signal: the election shows that the Norwegian people want a fairer society,” said the 61-year-old millionaire, who opposed social inequality.

Norwegian Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Erna Solberg admitted defeat on Monday night after eight years in power [Heiko Junge/NTB via Reuters]

After the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its climate report in August, Norway’s status as the largest oil and gas producer in Western Europe became the core of the campaign. The Store called for a gradual departure from the oil economy, while the Green Party called for an immediate cessation of oil exploration. The Conservative Party also called for getting rid of the fossil fuels that make Norway wealthy.

In her concession speech, 60-year-old Solberg said: “I want to congratulate Jonas Gahr Store, he now seems to have a clear majority in support of the change of government.”

In order to form a viable cabinet, Stoll may need to persuade potential center-left partners to compromise on policies ranging from oil and private ownership to Norway’s relationship with the European Union.

“As the largest political party, we will ensure that Norway has a new government and a new route,” Stoll said in a speech to party members.

“In the next few days, I will invite all party leaders who want to change,” he said, adding that he will start with the center party and the socialist left.

The oil sector accounts for 14% of Norway’s GDP, 40% of its exports, and directly employs 160,000 people.

It also helped this country with a population of 5.4 million accumulate the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, which is now worth close to 12 trillion kronor ($1.4 trillion).

Store, which served as minister of Jens Stoltenberg’s government from 2005 to 2013, is now expected to begin negotiations with the socialist left that mainly defends the interests of its rural base and strongly advocates environmental issues.

Store also pledged to address inequality by cutting taxes for low- and middle-income families and increasing tax rates for the rich.